Property Market Commentary

Why The Orie At Toa Payoh Sold 86% Of Its 777 Units In One Weekend 

The Orie at Toa Payoh has set the tone for 2025 due to its rapid sales: it moved 86 per cent of its 777 units during the launch weekend. This has prompted some eye-rolling among market watchers, as it achieved…

• 20 Jan 2025
• 6 min read
• 6

Where Are Singapore’s Most Flood-Prone Hotspots And What You Need To Know About Living In These Areas

I’m writing on January 14th 2025, in one of the rainiest months I’ve ever seen in Singapore. It’s a testament to our improved infrastructure that – unlike during my childhood – homes in flood-prone areas haven’t experienced serious disasters. I…

• 14 Jan 2025
• 5 min read
• 0

A HDB DBSS Flat Just Sold For $1.6 Million: Why Is This Happening?

In July 2024, the record holder for the most expensive flat in Singapore was a $1.73 million Dawson unit. At the time, we thought it was an anomaly—something we wouldn’t see again for a long while. But here we are…

• 13 Jan 2025
• 3 min read
• 0

Are 3Gen HDB Flats Still A Good Buy Versus Executive Flats In 2024?

3Gen flats are designed for extended families; they’re bigger, but come with a tough restriction: you’re only going to be able to sell back to other extended families. As we write this, it’s been roughly a decade since 3Gen flats…

• 21 Dec 2024
• 4 min read
• 1

Can Dual-Key Condos In Singapore Be Profitable?

The industry-accepted belief is that dual-key units are niche layouts, intended for either rental benefits or extended family living; and they’re much less desirable for resale gain. But how true is this? We did a bit of digging to find…

• 20 Dec 2024
• 3 min read
• 0

Are Executive Condos Getting Too Expensive Compared To Private Condos In 2024?

Most of us understand that Executive Condominiums (ECs) should be cheaper than private condos; but the question is how much cheaper. There’s been a lot of grumbling that ECs are getting too expensive these days and that buyers may as…

• 17 Dec 2024
• 3 min read
• 0

10 Most Profitable Executive Condos In 2024 (One Owner Made A Stunning $1 Million)

2024 is a very different time from when Executive Condos (EC) were first conceived in the 1990’s. Given how much private property prices have risen since the pandemic, the profits that some EC owners have made have been substantial. In…

• 3 Dec 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

2 Newest Executive Condos Hitting MOP Soon In 2024/25 For HDB Upgraders

Executive Condominiums (ECs) are a favourite for upgraders. HDB upgraders find them affordable, while those upgrading to private condos find them easy to resell after five years. If you are looking for something that is still new, here are 2…

• 25 Nov 2024
• 4 min read
• 0

Is PSF Still Relevant In The Singapore Property Market? Why Price Per Square Foot Could Be Misleading in 2024

Price Per Square Foot (PSF) is a time-honoured way of comparing prices in the property market; but along the way, it became far too intertwined with notions of value. It’s just an easy, intuitive way to think: if two properties…

• 24 Nov 2024
• 4 min read
• 2

1,480 New Condos Sold In 1 Weekend: Why Are Singaporeans Rushing Despite “High” Prices?

If you haven’t heard the news, well, new launch fever has hit town. Emerald of Katong sold out 99 per cent of its 846 units over the launch weekend, Nava Grove moved 65 per cent of its units, and Novo…

• 19 Nov 2024
• 6 min read
• 1

Are Resale Executive Condos No Longer “Affordable” Compared To Condos In 2024? Here’s The Surprising Answer

Executive Condominiums (ECs) are intended as a stepping stone between HDB housing and private condos; a sort of “sandwich class housing” if you will. So when these ECs go on the secondary market, a common assumption is that they’ll still…

• 30 Oct 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

Are We Finally In A Buyer’s Property Market? Why The Recent Price Dip May Not Tell The Full Story

Speak to some agents and sellers, and you may be told the tide has turned: the housing supply crunch is over, and it’s buyers who now have more negotiating power. There’s also a dip in private home prices between July…

• 22 Oct 2024
• 6 min read
• 1

With Singapore’s Population At 6.04 Million, Who Wins And Who Loses In The Property Market?

There’s been quite the uproar about Singapore’s population reaching a historic high of 6.04 million, mostly driven by non-residents (their number rose by around five per cent over the previous year). This is a sore spot among many Singaporeans, who…

• 2 Oct 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

Are Resale Flats “Across The Road” From Prime Location HDBs A Better Buy?

One of the effects of Plus and Prime model housing is the impact on pricing “across the road”. Because these housing models are not applied retroactively, existing resale flats may share the high value Plus or Prime locations, but lack…

• 1 Oct 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

How Much Will The Falling US Interest Rates Affect Singaporean Homeowners?

The United States Federal Reserve (the Fed) recently cut interest rates by 0.5 per cent. This is a big move, as the Fed typically raises or lowers the interest rate in smaller increments (0.25 per cent). This has a knock-on…

• 28 Sep 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

How Condo En-Bloc Sales Became A Speculative Exit Strategy In Singapore

En-bloc sales and private property go hand-in-hand; some Singaporeans even claim that en-bloc potential is the main advantage of old private homes. But elements of the trend may be newer than you think, and en-bloc sales didn’t quite work the…

• 25 Sep 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

When My Gong Gong With Dementia Went Missing: Are Singapore’s Neighbourhoods Prepared For An Ageing Crisis?

Just the other day, I received a distressing call from my panic-stricken auntie asking for help.   “Cheryl, your gong gong is missing! He left home alone without me knowing and I don’t know where he is now. I need help…

• 17 Sep 2024
• 9 min read
• 0

Can Lower-Income Singaporeans Better Afford HDB Flats In 2024? Here’s What The New Measures Mean

Since the news of the cooling measures in August, we’ve written about how it has impacted the middle-class group in Singapore. However, the news comes with a silver lining for the lower-income group – the maximum Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG)…

• 7 Sep 2024
• 3 min read
• 0